Safe zone to Savannah
by ellis4zoey
Summary: Zoey and Ellis are still my favorite characters, and I'm not done with them yet. This will be a series of short stories set after the zombie apocalypse. The time is between their stay in the safe zone hospital and their move (back) to Savannah. Zoey as a strong independent young woman, finding herself into a situation altogether unfamiliar to her, being fragile and dependent.
1. The hospital

**The hospital**

It had been several weeks since the seven survivors had reached the Georgia safe zone. Time in which much had happened. The zombie apocalypse was as good as over, but the result had been large scale devastation.

From her hospital bed, Zoey saw the door to her room open and Rochelle came in. Rochelle carefully gave Zoey a hug and sat down beside the bed.

"Thanks for coming, Rochelle."

"Anytime sweetheart, you said you wanted to see me?"

"I need to talk to someone, Rochelle, someone I can trust, like you."

"I don't think any of the guys are going to disturb us, and I promise I won't mention anything to anyone that you don't want me to."

Zoey pushed a button on the remote next to her bed, slightly raising the head end. "Rochelle, I feel so confused, I don't know what to do."

"What do you mean, Zoey?"

"When I woke up from the coma they told me I was in, he was there. Ellis was there. I mean it was almost the perfect moment. And I said yes. But I'm not sure that was really me."

Rochelle tried not to look too concerned. Zoey continued. "Just half a year ago, I was planning to finally start taking university seriously. I wanted to graduate, see something of the world, have a career and maybe, at around 30 years of age or so, maybe think of a family or something."

"Zoey, I think I'm beginning to understand. You're afraid your life will never be like you wanted it to be?"

"I think so, Rochelle. It can never be like it was, never again. Or how I wanted it to be. And I'm scared."

"It has changed us all, Zoey. It is changing us all. I don't know a lot about you, Zoey, but I think you are a strong willed young woman. You're used to making your own decisions. And being fragile and dependent is something you are not accustomed to."

"I think that, Rochelle. My parents taught me to be strong. I was an only child and they both wanted the best for me, despite all the arguments they had... but I saw them both die, Rochelle, and for weeks, almost every night, I kept seeing it again and again in my nightmares."

"Francis told me he thought you looked like you were unaffected by the whole zombie apocalypse. He said his impression was you were a tough person who was weathering it all quite strongly."

"I tried my best to make sure he, Bill or Louis would never notice anything. I tried to maintain to them my outward persona. But on the inside I was devastated. And when Bill sacrificed himself for us, it almost finished me off."

"And that was just before our groups met, right?"

"Yes Rochelle. It was the same day. The first thing I noticed about you four, was Ellis looking at me. Though I didn't know his name yet. It was almost like he felt I was in pain, it was such an eerie experience. That night, when the seven of us were in the safe house in Rayford, I cried. All this time I had managed to keep it in, but I couldn't anymore. I think Ellis must have overheard me because the next day he looked all disturbed."

"I did notice changes in Ellis after our groups met. Before we met you and the guys, Ellis was always talking, and trying to keep things upbeat, but after meeting you he suddenly fell silent. I remember Nick saying he needed to thank you for that."

"Did you all think I had caused it?"

"Well, it did seem quite obvious to all three of us, I mean Coach, Nick and myself".

"You know Rochelle, I noticed him looking at me several times, it seemed like he wanted to talk to me but something was holding him back."

"He was just being a gentleman, darling. That's what he is. Plus that I think he was struggling with his own feelings. You know I honestly think he cares a great deal about you."

"You know, Rochelle, the second night after we met, I was so cold. I don't know why but for some reason I just got up, moved my mattress next to his, wrapped myself in my blanket and I carefully laid myself down right next to him. He was still sleeping. I put another blanket on top of both of us. It gave me the first warmth I had felt in weeks."

Rochelle smiled at Zoey and softly nodded her approval of what Zoey told her. "What did he say to you when he woke?"

"Nothing. He smiled. I think he wanted to kiss me but he didn't. So I gave him a kiss instead. That was also the first time I had no nightmares, since I ran from my father's apartment."

"You know, Zoey, my mother was very religious and she always said that sometimes God makes things happen for reasons no person can ever comprehend. Maybe this was meant to be. I'm not trying to downplay what happened to you in any way, your loss or anyone's loss, but we can't undo what has been done, and life does need to go on."

"I know, Rochelle. But that's the part I'm confused about. I mean a part of me really trusts in Ellis. The part of me that makes me feel it's the right thing to do, despite everything. The part of me that wants to go on, and create this new life with him."

Zoey tried to choke back her emotions. "The other part of me is having doubts. Maybe deep down I still want to go back. Like I told you it's not that long ago that I had something completely different planned for my life. I'm not sure I can ever fully give myself to Ellis, and it scares me."

Rochelle saw tears welling in Zoey's eyes. "Zoey, it's only natural that you have doubts, and not just because of who you are, who you're parents raised you to be. The world has changed for all of us. And it's not going to be easy for any of us to adapt. For most of us it will be difficult. For you, for me, for Ellis, for everyone."

"I guess it will be hard, and not just for me, like you say. Rochelle, I want to thank you so much for coming. I really needed to talk to another woman. And you've helped me a lot already."

"So are you really going to marry him?"

"Yes. I said yes, and I will keep to that. The strange thing is, though I barely know him, I trust him so completely. And I trust my feelings. My feeling says its right. I feel like he's a kindred spirit. Another thing I would not have believed in just months ago."

"Well, I don't know", Rochelle said. "But what I do know is what I saw in his face when he emerged from the smoke on the bridge, carrying you. That was more than just a young man and his crush on a girl he only just met, it was his absolute determination that you must live, and he'd do anything to make that happen. Even Nick told me later he was impressed by that."

"Was Ellis at my bedside all the time?"

"I don't know any better than that he was here. Well, whenever he wasn't getting treatment for his broken ankle, that is."

Zoey smiled when Rochelle confirmed her thought. "I suppose part of me will always be confused about what's happened and what's going to happen. But now I realize that maybe I'm not the only one who is confused and a bit scared."

One of the nurses came in to Zoey's room. It was time for her daily checkups. Rochelle got up and said goodbye to Zoey, promising she would be back soon. Zoey told her that Ellis would come later that day. Zoey thanked Rochelle again for listening to her.

"Don't mention it", Rochelle answered. "We all gotta look out for each other. The new world that will emerge from this, we will need some happiness in that, and I think that you two can really make it work. Well, Coach and I certainly believe you two can."

Zoey nodded back at Rochelle, and prepared for her treatment. Recovering from a coma, having experienced severe blood loss was not going to be as easy as she wished it would be. She was changed, yet still she knew what she wanted. And that what she was going to do, with Ellis, in the near future, was right. Changing her name was right.


	2. My buddy Keith

**My buddy Keith**

The two female nurses left his hospital room. Ellis was only just beginning to understand the implications of what he had done. The two of them had come to see the hero. The hero… Ellis could hardly imagine why people would think of him as one.

To him, what he had done was nothing special. Well, she was special, but what he had done was not. He'd done it, because it felt like the right thing to do, and because his determination drove him to do it. Determination, for the first time in his life he had felt it.

That was quite a change for him. His mother had always reminded him that he needed to get serious about his life, but he'd never seen the point of that. He was out having fun. Fun with his best buddies, Keith and Dave. And if you were with Keith and Dave, you would have fun, not serious discussions.

Coach had told him Keith was here, in the Georgia safe zone. Coach had gone to the registry to sign all seven of their survivor group in, and he had hardly left when a young man caught up with him to ask about Ellis. Keith had been in line after Coach and had spotted Coach signing Ellis into the registry.

Ellis looked to the door of his hospital room and there he was. "Howdy Ellis", Keith said. Keith walked up to the bed and gave Ellis a big hug.

"Imagine me finding you here, buddy. After that thing with the whirlybirds on the hotel roof ah never thought ah would see you again", Keith said.

"I'm just happy to see you, Keith. Never thought I'd see my best buddy again."

"Me neither, El. You seen your family yet? How long you've been here in the hospital?"

"Yeah, my mom and my sister were here just yesterday. They'll be back later today. Doctors told me I was unconscious for almost a week when I got here. And now it's been almost a month".

Keith cupped his hands in front of his chest for a second. "Nice, can't wait to meet Jennifer again, she still hate me?"

"You stay away from Jen", Ellis laughed.

Keith grinned for a second, and then got serious again. "And what about Dave? Did you hear anything from him, El?"

"I don't know what happened to Dave, Keith. When we ran to the evacuation center on the hotel roof, I lost him in the rush, I looked around for a bit, didn't see him, and then I'd lost you too. And of course, the delay caused me to miss the last whirlybird."

"Well, Dave ain't in the registry here either. All we can do is hope for the best", Keith lamented.

Ellis sighed for a moment. Would their trio ever be reunited? Ellis didn't want to think of it too much at this moment. Hope remained.

Keith interrupted Ellis's thoughts. "Anyway El, ah asked the nurses, and they agreed to lend me this wheelchair parked outside here. They say you can't walk yet, with your ankle and all that".

"What do we need the wheelchair for, Keith?"

"Ah'm gonna take you outside for some fresh air, El. And ah want to talk to you some more, away from all these doctors here".

Keith helped Ellis into the wheelchair and then started pushing it towards the exit. After ten minutes or so they had found the way out and for the first time in weeks, Ellis felt the outside air again.

"Good to be outside Keith. That hospital air was killing me. And not being able to move around is really terrible, you know for a guy like me".

Keith pushed the wheelchair right next to a bench outside and then sat himself down on the bench. "This is much better, El. You and me reunited. Now, not to waste any time, what's this thing that this big dude, whatsisname… Coach or something… what's this thing he told me about? You met a girl during this whole zombie thing?"

Ellis put his hands in front of his face for a moment, briefly wondering how Keith knew. But then again, the nurses knew, his mother and sister knew, Coach certainly knew. So why not tell Keith as well?

"I didn't go looking for it Keith. I mean it was the zombie apocalypse and all that. There were four of us. Me, Coach and two others, Nick and Rochelle. Then we got to the Jackson Bridge in Rayford, and we met these three people."

Keith interrupted. "And she was one of those three, am I right, El?"

"She was in pain, Keith. I mean not physical, or not that I know of anyhow, but I looked at her, and she was trying to hide her sorrow, and for some reason I could see it. I still don't really get it, but it's like I could read her thoughts, it was eerie, still is actually".

Keith looked at Ellis. He'd never seen his friend like this before. Not that it was bad, Keith thought, the zombie apocalypse was changing everyone, and it certainly seemed to have affected Ellis.

"What's her name, El?

"Zoey. That's her name. She was with two others, well three actually but one of them had just been killed. You know what the first thing was that I thought when I saw her?"

"No, El. But ah'm willing to bet you are going to tell me."

Ellis smiled. "I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, because what I saw, she was an angel".

"An angel in pain, then?"

Ellis looked up to the sky. "I suppose. It was like… at first sight. And I kept telling myself it was wrong. With this whole tragedy going on, it was wrong. I couldn't help it, and like I said…".

It was quiet for a few seconds, Keith imagined his friend was getting a bit emotional, which was another first as far as Keith knew.

"Like I said, I didn't go looking for it. It just happened."

"You don't have to apologize for it, El. These things happen. And not always when you expect them to. Hell, Dave and me have tried to match you with girls for years, and it never seemed to work out for you. Dave even thought you fancied boys, maybe". Keith had trouble maintaining a straight face after saying that.

Ellis was stung by Keith's remark, and even more by his buddy's seeming amusement. "Nah I don't fancy boys. Not that I am against that sort of thing, but no. I just never met the right girl. But with Zoey, it's like I knew immediately. It still feels strange, considering the circumstances".

"She is in this hospital too, ah heard?"

"Yeah. She's recovering from serious blood loss. I was told she nearly died. She was in a coma for three weeks. There were days I feared she would never wake up. I spent almost two weeks at her bedside, well apart from the time I was getting treatment, of course."

Keith was impressed. Ellis not just infatuated with a girl, but dead serious about a girl. And spending all his free time at her bedside, apparently.

"How did you two get injured anyhow?"

"We were crossing the Lanier bridge, the seven of us. And out of nowhere three Tanks appeared. We killed them, but one of them knocked a car at Zoey and me. It hit Zoey head on, and crushed my leg".

"And then you carried her off the bridge, as the nurses told me?"

"It wasn't that simple. She was badly injured, blood everywhere. I tried to pick her up but the pain in my ankle stung so bad, I couldn't walk."

"But you walked to the whirly bird, and you was carrying her, right?"

Ellis nodded. "Had to apply two adrenaline shots, made me forget the pain in my ankle. She'd told me to leave her behind, just before she fell unconscious, but I already decided I wasn't gonna do that, ever. Do or die it was. I would have died there with her. But we just made it. I don't remember anything after that, until waking up here, in this hospital. Bruised ribs and a broken ankle".

Keith put his hand on Ellis's shoulder. "Ah'm impressed, buddy. Ah mean you did the craziest and most heroic thing ah've ever heard of. And ah've done crazy things myself".

Ellis laughed. "Yeah the lawnmower thing was pretty crazy, and the time you tried to deep fry that turkey".

Keith nodded in the affirmative. "Yeah, loved those episodes in my life. My favorite is trying to shoot crows on top of that building, only to get teargassed by some coppers who were too busy asking what I was doing up there. And the graveyard thing, and the mud hut".

"And don't forget, for an entire year, you were screaming whenever you opened your eyes!" Ellis grinned at Keith who looked back in a less than appreciative manner.

"It was never that long, El. You been telling stories about me to your new friends, eh? Anyhow, how is it with that girl… ehh… Zoey, right?"

"She's recovering. I can't tell you how happy I was when she woke up. And I just had to know."

"Had to know what?".

"I asked her to marry me".

"YOU DID WHAT? EL YOU DID WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME? HOLY EFFIN' ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! BACON AND HAM!"

Keith then just stared at Ellis with big eyes, apparently stunned at what he'd just heard. This wasn't within the realm of the possible. Not Ellis. No way. But apparently, it was. And looking at Ellis, Keith could tell his buddy wasn't kidding. And he was wearing a ring. This just became unreal.

"Yeah I did, Keith. I told you how I thought she was the one for me. And in this new world, why not, or so I thought."

"And she said yes, judging from the smile on your face", Keith said, observing Ellis.

"She did. I think she's not too sure of what she's done either. But it seems right. It feels right. It's what I want, Keith. And I think she has the same idea."

"Strange things, El. Asking a girl to marry you and then going on a first date after. I assume you and her ain't been on a first date, yet?"

"First dating days are over, Keith. It's all changed now. Anyhow, there isn't much to do in this here safe zone. Certainly not for two people who are more or less immobilized for the time being."

"We might be going home soon, buddy", Keith said. Heard the thing was as good as over. Military is doing a cleanup. State authorities will sweep from east to west, starting with Savannah. We may be home by Christmas. And I promise you, buddy, I'm gonna set you and her up for a first date. It's the proper thing for Southerners".

"She ain't from the South, Keith. She's from up North, Philadelphia."

Keith took off his mechanic cap, and scratched his red hair. And he was thinking. Just when you think things cannot get more unreal, Ellis with a girl was already amazing. But a Northern girl, that was even weirder.

"Never mind", Keith said. "Ain't matter where she's from. Ah'm here for you and ah will do as I just promised. Anyway, in your state, with your ankle, you gonna need some kind of chaperone anyway. What she look like anyhow?"

"Dark brown hair, beautiful green eyes. Hair in a ponytail. And she's the purdiest girl I ever saw, she's got the face of an angel". Ellis had an awkward smile on his face.

Keith cupped his hands in front of his chest again, and hinted to Ellis. "And what about her… qualities… ah mean…". Keith grinned deviously.

Ellis gave him a dirty look. "Zoey's not some big-boobed blonde bimbo. You might say she's got a tomboyish figure if you saw her, but I think she's a real woman and she's very purdy. She's special and I love her".

Keith apologized. "Didn't mean to insult her, or you. Sorry if ah offended ya. Now, would it be possible for you to introduce me to her? Ah mean if you two are going to get married an' all that. I'd like to meet the girl that captured by best buddy's heart. Ah promise ah won't say or do any inappropriate things".

"Sure, my mom and Jennifer are coming back at one o'clock and I told Zoey last night I was going to introduce them to her. I can take you along."

"Ah'd like that, El. Man, it's amazing. Never thought you'd be the first of us three, El. Always figured Dave was the most likely. And I sure am going to hug Jennifer if you don't mind".

"Jus' don't get any ideas", Ellis laughed. "She's liable to try and strangle you".

"No matter, ah like it rough", Keith smiled. "Now let's go, it's past twelve already."


End file.
